Two brief football notes of interest, the first involving SMU, where there's been little interesting football of note in recent years. The Honolulu Advertiser is reporting today that David Matlin, the Hawaii Bowl's exec director, will be at Gerald J. Ford Stadium this Saturday when the Mustangs play Tulane. Just maybe, the paper says, Matlin's coming to town invite June Jones's 6-5 Ponies to Honolulu for the Christmas Eve showdown with, oh, just maybe, his former team. Which is playing out just as June wants it. SMU officials also tell the paper that a representative from the New Orleans Bowl will be in attendance. But as ESPN points out, isn't the Liberty Bowl still within reach?
And Parade has posted this sneak peak at a piece by Washington Post sportswriter Sally Jenkins, who wonders, after a visit to Jerry Jones's EnormoDome in Arlington, "Has the NFL gotten so overpriced that it's inaccessible to most fans? And is seeing a game in person worth the trouble and expense, or is it just as good to stay home with a satellite hook-up and a big TV?" Her answer, summed up: "A game at Cowboys Stadium attempts to please its entire audience, from the people with party passes to the affluent in their windowed boxes. But how long and in how many cities can the NFL retain both? If Cowboys Stadium is the trendsetter, the NFL is moving toward a day when only the wealthiest fans can afford to watch in person."